Carandiru

The following film is based on real-life events.

Hey, Ebony!

You bastard! I'll knife you in the back!

- Get this guy out of here! - There's no more room.

We've got to use this cell! Cool it or there'll be trouble!

Get off me!

I wanna see that. Come on!

You've betrayed me!

Dagger! I'll kill you, you hear? Stick you like a pig.

Ebony, Lula's freaked out...

...says it's his right to kill Dagger.

Lula needs to be taught a lesson!

Whatever's happened...

...it's not for you to decide, you little shit!

- Dagger! - Dagger's gonna die!

- Gonna die! - Calm down!

You think you're gonna decide this? Come on, then, I'm ready.

- What's this? - Gonna die! Gonna die!

Like I said, I've got no one waiting for me on the outside.

I'm in no hurry to get out.

Anyone wants a fight, let's get on with it.

I'll crush all of you.

What the fuck's wrong with you guys?! Let's cool it here!

What's going on, Dagger?

- Lula attacked me from behind, Ebony. - He's a badass!

He went for Dagger from behind!

Right out of line, man!

Gonna die!

Gonna die!

- You locking me in there, Ebony? - First get in there, then speak!

- Don't throw Dagger in here, Ebony. - We don't want trouble.

Step away, damn it!

So? I'm all ears.

How come he's so mad at you?

You heard.

Lula came out of nowhere with a knife and tried to kill me.

I dodged.

We scuffled till they broke us up.

The rest you know.

Good morning, Mr. Pires.

I do apologize for this disgusting behavior...

...which has invaded our household today.

Only this idiot Lula, a young, inexperienced con...

...suddenly got this attitude, without even asking permission!

Dagger killed my father! He killed my father!

I sure did, kid.

And not only him, I've killed plenty more besides.

Ebony! Mr. Pires! Dagger killed my father...

...in front of my mother. He's been telling everyone!

You gonna deny that, asshole?! Are you gonna deny it? Are you?

- Ebony, please. - What?

Tell the kid he doesn't know half the story.

- If he did... - Son of a bitch! I'll kill you!

Tell him to ask his mother if she was really as upset as all that.

Or was it a relief when I came and grabbed his belt from him?

Lies! That's a lie!

Like hell it is! I saw it for myself.

He'd have thrashed her to death.

I thought you'd have heard by now, kid!

Your mother paid me to kill your father.

Get it now?

It was your mother who wiped him out!

Hear that?

He's calmed down!

He's calmed down!

I want them both out here in their underwear.

Lula, as far as I'm concerned, we're quits.

Let's forget it, shall we?

You've put me to shame, and on the day of the doctor's first visit.

So, Lula, what brought you back in here?

I left here...

...went home and found my wife in bed with someone else.

The son of a bitch had the nerve to tell me, "That's life."

I shot him three times just to prove the contrary.

You should know that whatever goes on outside gets settled outside.

In here, anyone who behaves knows we'll do what we can...

...to show him the front door, where his family is waiting.

But anyone who's proud of being a criminal, with blood in his eye...

...we'll do everything to prolong his life in here.

We usually forget people like that in here.

Doctor, this is Ebony.

Yes, doctor, Ebony's got a problem.

My kitchen knife is still missing.

Whoever took it, I'll give you one chance.

Return it or there'll be one prisoner dead every day!

I'd like to ask our visitors to turn their backs...

...since there's an ashamed crook present.

But when I turn around...

...I sure would like to see that knife.

I'll count to three.

One...

...two...

I'm turning.

Three.

- From your kitchen? - Yes, sir.

This is the yellow wing, doctor, because they're afraid.

It's like a jail within the jail.

They're locked up here for their own safety. They're scared.

Career killers, rapists, stool pigeons, bad payers.

In here, you know, prisoners never forgive.

Mr. Pires, don't these people ever get sun? It's so musty!

Anyone want to go outside?

Take a walk in the yard? Get some fresh air?

- What do these people do all day? - They come and go all day long...

...think they're busy, but it gets them nowhere.

Doctor, 7000 men in jail!

There are 1800 in this pavilion alone.

If they knew how AIDS is spread, that would already help.

They catch the disease and have sex, so there's no stopping the epidemic.

The only ones who'll listen to your advice are the really smart ones...

...who only want to get out alive in order to keep robbing.

That's their whole life.

Maybe. But they're living at the center of the disease.

- They're the prisoners here. - Prisoners?

They own this cell. This place doesn't explode because they don't want it to.

God bless you, child.

I didn't know you had a family.

I thought I'd lost it.

My whole life in jail...

...but even so I raised 18 kids...

...and not one of them has even been near a police station.

That girl, my youngest...

...she said she doesn't remember my face...

...so she's decided to come and visit.

I'd like you to authorize me to see her.

I don't want my daughter around all the scum.

That's going to be tricky.

What if the 7000 others ask me the same thing?

Excuse me.

Good morning.

Hey, what's up?

Need anything, doctor? Coffee, sugar, chocolate, toothpaste?

Joints are only two packs of Marlboros each. Want one?

I don't smoke.

Too bad! Commerce, doctor! Makes the world go round!

Let's go.

Easy, now. That's it.

Slow.

He can't spit there.

Tuberculosis. Anyone steps on that, spreads the disease.

If he had the strength, he'd go to the sink.

It's not easy.

He must be isolated.

But where, doctor?

Name?

Everyone calls me the Beard.

Why are you here?

Well...

...my brother was killed.

Two days later, the murderer had a little meeting with death...

...so suspicions fell upon my good self.

Some said I did it and others came along and said they saw it wasn't me.

With some saying it was me and others saying not...

...here I am, five years now, waiting for the judge to decide.

Do you have sex here in jail?

- Anyone who denies that is a liar. - Use condoms?

If I've got one, I do.

- IV drugs? - How dare you, doctor?

I wonder, Beard! What's that mark on your arm?

Beard is next!

My name's Alipio.

Do you use drugs?

Needles?

No way, doctor. I got AIDS from all the ass I've had in jail.

Plenty of ass.

Is it still worth taking the test?

I listen, give advice...

...a little tenderness, hold them tight...

...and then they always give us something nice in return.

A pack of cigarettes, some candy, a slice of cheese.

So many men shut up in here, doctor...

...without our feminine support.

Yeah, I've got AIDS, but I didn't get it in here.

I brought it in off the streets, and I can't complain.

You come in here sick and they treat you with respect, dignity...

...and that's the greatest thing in a crook's life.

I'm a junkie and a dealer.

In my business, if a guy doesn't pay up, I can't take back...

...what I sold him. The bastard's already smoked it, snorted it.

I take whatever he's got.

If he's got nothing, I kill him.

The other day I tried to get an extra banana from the guy...

...who delivers lunch. The bastard said only if I kissed his banana.

So what the hell, I'm just crazy about bananas.

Doctor, everyone in my cell's got this itch.

It's unbearable.

Scabies. I'll give you some medicine.

So how are you getting along?

Doctor, after shooting cocaine in the dark with a blunt needle...

...drawing blood with this rig...

...is hardly fair play.

Too bad!

See what you did?

See what you did?

- Who are you? - I'm the doctor.

I was taking blood samples.

- Just ask... - Watch out!

Like you have to tell me who to ask.

I'm calling the duty officer. Wait here.

If no one can identify you, you're staying right where you are.